NATO Allies Face Pressure for 5% Defense Spending at Summit

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed confidence on Thursday that NATO allies will agree to U.S. President Donald Trump's demand for increased defense spending, targeting 5% of gross domestic product, up from the current 2%, by the upcoming summit later in June.

Speaking at a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, Hegseth stressed the importance of keeping combat-ready capabilities, emphasizing the need for commitment to the proposed spending target. He noted that discussions initiated by Trump aim at achieving this goal by The Hague summit later this month.

European diplomats acknowledge that increasing defense expenditure is essential for maintaining U.S. commitment to Europe's security, a sentiment expressed by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who advocates for a 3.5% GDP defense budget with an additional 1.5% for broader security. The specifics of the new investment plan continue to be debated.

(With inputs from agencies.)